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Exploding Ants, Asia and India

Exploding ants
Laciny A, Zettel H, Kopchinskiy A, Pretzer C, Pal A, Salim KA, Rahimi MJ, Hoenigsberger M, Lim L, Jaitrong W, Druzhinina IS (2018) Colobopsis explodens sp. n., model species for studies on “exploding ants” (Hymenoptera, Formicidae), with biological notes and first illustrations of males of the Colobopsis cylindrica group. ZooKeys 751: 1-40. https://doi.org/10.3897/zookeys.751.22661, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Among the various self-defence mechanisms that different species of ants developed to protect themselves from daily threats, the most curious is the kamikaze style of the Colobopsis Exploden species. Easy guess from their name… yes, these ants explode, sacrificing themselves to protect the whole colony.

According to recent studies, there are at least 15 species of exploding ants, all part of the Colobopsis genus, mainly living in Southeast Asia (Thailand, Malaysia and Borneo), and India.

The individual capable of this deadly self sacrifice are the small-sized workers: while guarding the colony’s nest entrance, they use their special glands to burst their bodies, producing a yellow chemical mixture which, while not being toxic or poisonous, is extra sticky, and can block invaders even with much bigger sizes like grasshoppers, for example.

If you travel around Brunei, pop in at the Kuala Belalong Fields Studies Centre in Temburong District and you might have a look at these fascinating ants.